


Transformation Spells

by twtd



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Cuddling, F/F, Magic spells gone awry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 05:52:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15723303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twtd/pseuds/twtd
Summary: Pippa gets hit with a wayward spell and ends up getting a new perspective on life.***Pippa slunk down the side of the corridor, her feet silent on the well-worn stone. She licked her lips but otherwise tried to contain her nervousness as each step brought her closer and closer to her destination. For once, she could see easily in the gloom. She needed the third door down on the left. She picked up her pace and arrived in seconds. The distinctive, comforting scent of pine and peppermint seeped from beneath the door, and for the first time in over an hour, she felt safe.





	Transformation Spells

**Author's Note:**

> hiccuphardbroom on tumblr prompted this fic a while ago and then I got a request for it too, so here it is.

Pippa slunk down the side of the corridor, her feet silent on the well-worn stone. She licked her lips but otherwise tried to contain her nervousness as each step brought her closer and closer to her destination. For once, she could see easily in the gloom. She needed the third door down on the left. She picked up her pace and arrived in seconds. The distinctive, comforting scent of pine and peppermint seeped from beneath the door, and for the first time in over an hour, she felt safe. Now, how to get in? There was no way Hecate would leave the door to her chambers unlocked. Pippa tried to push it anyway. No luck. The door was latched. Pippa looked up at the handle. Even if the door was unlocked, there was no way she could work the latch in her current state. She was just going to have to wait for Hecate to return and hope it didn’t take too long. Pippa sat immediately in front of the door. If there happened to be a patch of warm sunlight there, it was purely a coincidence. 

After ten minutes, sitting turning into lying. Another ten minutes and lying turned into napping. And that was how Hecate found her, a small grey cat, asleep and purring, stretched out in front of her doorway.

***

Hecate released the spell that kept the door to her chambers locked, and the change in the energy around her startled Pippa awake. She had always been sensitive to the feel of magic, and to Hecate's specifically, but never to that extent. She hopped to her feet and shook out her fur before she looked up and saw Hecate looking down at her, a bemused smile tugging at her lips.

“You’re not one of the girls’ familiars,” Hecate said as she pushed open her door. 

“Not at all,” Pippa responded, but Hecate heard nothing but a ‘meow.’ Still, Hecate made sure the door was open long enough for Pippa to follow her into her chambers. Pippa flicked her tail as she rubbed herself against Hecate’s ankles in thanks and followed her inside. The press of her fur against the leather of Hecate’s boots made Pippa shiver. 

Once they were inside, Hecate let out a great breath and closed her eyes as she leaned against the door, and Pippa watched the transformation from Miss Hardbroom, strict disciplinarian, to just Hecate, not as carefree as when they were girls, but softer than her usual persona, easier somehow. The way her lips and brow relaxed didn't make her any more or less beautiful to Pippa, nothing could change that, but it did make her look more approachable. As if perhaps she could, after all, return Pippa's feelings. 

Hecate started to undo her hair, each pin caught between white teeth as Hecate walked across the room to her dressing table. She put them away as she sat down, unmindful of the strangely intent cat watching her as she unbraided her hair and started brushing it out. A look of pure pleasure crossed Hecate's face and Pippa nearly felt the need to look away at what seemed like such an intimate moment. Is that what Hecate would look like if Pippa were to press her lips against Hecate's skin? Would it bring her as much enjoyment? Pippa picked up one paw and delicately started grooming it. It seemed the polite thing to do, after all. Still, she couldn't take her eyes off of Hecate. 

At least, she couldn't until Hecate started to undress. Had she been asked, she would have said Hecate changed entirely by magic. Clearly, that wasn't true. Pippa forced herself to look away. Hecate would not thank her for spying on her during such a private moment once she turned Pippa back into herself. 

Speaking of, Pippa needed to come up with a plan. She needed Hecate to realize she had been turned into a cat by a student's wayward spell and to turn her back. Or at least she needed Hecate to realize there was something strange about the cat currently in her chambers where she would investigate the situation further. But how to do it?

Before she could come up with an answer, she felt firm hands scooping her up and resting her against a shoulder. Pippa purred. She couldn't help it. Having Hecate's hands gently cradling her made her feel safe and content. Not content to be a cat forever, but certainly comfortable in the moment. She butted her forehead against Hecate's jaw and got a scratch on the top of her head for her trouble. Well, that wouldn't help with her quest. 

"Where did you come from?" Hecate asked her. Pippa huffed in response. This wasn't getting them anywhere. Hecate grabbed a book before sitting in her armchair and pulling down a throw. The summer months made it too hot to light a fire, but the throw combated the evening chill perfectly. Pippa wanted to curl up under it next to Hecate. She wanted to curl up under it with Hecate _while fully human_. That assumed Hecate would ever speak to her again after turning her back into a human. Hecate sat Pippa down on her lap and started petting her as she opened her book. 

Pippa started purring again. Hecate's fingers down her back just felt so -- No! She could not let herself become distracted. She shifted around until she had a better view of the room. There had to be something she could use to alert Hecate to her problem. Hecate's hand slid down and rested against Pippa's side, her fingers curling to the fur of Pippa's belly. Pippa looked up and found Hecate completely engrossed in her book. Apparently, the mystery of the new cat hadn't kept her attention. She probably thought Pippa was merely a stray who wandered into the castle and decided to adopt Hecate. 

Pippa levered herself up and stretched. She could feel Hecate's eyes on her as she hopped down from Hecate's lap and started exploring her chambers. She thought Hecate might object when she jumped onto her desk, but Hecate simply kept watching her. Maybe, if there was a stray paper somewhere, she could write Hecate a note. The desk proved fruitful as it contained both a stack of papers and several pens, but Pippa realized her mistake as soon as she tried to do anything with the pen. It rolled away from her. She had to jump to the other side just to make sure it didn't roll off of the desk. Then it rolled the other way. She jumped again. She just couldn't get the hang of the pen's momentum. Finally, she misjudged her force and the pen clattered off of the desk and onto the floor. She looked at Hecate expecting a reprimand, but instead, she found Hecate smiling indulgently. If only her students could see her now. Pippa got distracted again. 

Right. She needed a way out of this. From the top of the desk, she could see the bookshelves. Maybe something up there would help. Could she make the jump to the shelves? No harm in trying. Cats always landed on their feet, right? Pippa took a bracing breath, coiled back, shifting her weight to her hind legs, and sprang forward. 

Aak! She made the jump but couldn't stop herself from tumbling into the books. If anything should give away her non-cat nature, it should have been her clumsiness. Pippa started reading the titles of the books. 

"What are you doing?" Hecate asked. Pippa looked over at her but went back to looking at the books without bothering to answer. _The Archaic and Esoteric: Herbs from Around the World_. That sounded like something Hecate would read. _Broomstick Basics: a Textbook_ and _Edwardian Evolution: Chants from 1900 to 1910_ also sounded thoroughly Hecate-like. The next book, however, looked familiar. _Postmodern Potential: Current Developments in Modern Magic_ edited by Pippa Pentangle. Hecate had the book she edited. It had only been out a few months. Did that mean Hecate had actually read the book? Had read her essay in it? It certainly wasn't light reading. She'd written it for other scholars of modern magic. Still, the book certainly looked like it had been read. That gave her an idea. 

Pippa looked through the books until she found one that seemed appropriate: _Transformation Spells A to Z_. She leaned back onto her hind legs and wrenched the book from its place on the shelf. She pulled at it with her teeth. Eventually, she got it loose. It toppled to the floor and made a loud thud as it hit. Then she went back to her book and did the same thing. Another loud crash. She looked straight over at Hecate. 

"That wasn't necessary," Hecate said as she stood up and made her way over to pick up the books. Pippa hopped down and when Hecate stooped down to pick up the book, Pippa planted her front paws on it and meowed as loudly as she could. 

"What on Earth?" Hecate looked down at Pippa then looked at the book. "Transformation spells?"

Pippa meowed again. Come on Hecate. You can figure this out. Hecate looked back at Pippa. "Really?" Hecate asked incredulously. "Are you telling me…?"

Pippa meowed again. Hecate pursed her lips. "You're not a cat?"

Pippa tried to shake her head but instead shook her whole body. Either way, the answer carried through. Of course she wasn't a cat. 

Hecate looked over at the other book. "If you're not a cat, what does this have to do with anything?"

Finally. Pippa took the few steps between the books and placed her paws just above where her name was printed on the cover. She batted at where it said 'Pippa'. 

"Pippa? Are you saying…?" Hecate looked confused. "Is that you?" Hecate asked. Hecate looked like she was about to have a stroke. 

Pippa meowed again. They were finally getting somewhere. 

Hecate sighed. "I suppose I shall have to turn you back." 

Pippa purred. She knew Hecate would figure it all out. Hecate picked up the transformation spell book and started flipping through it until she got to something that looked promising. 

"The center of the room, please," Hecate said as she pointed. Pippa rolled her eyes in a most un-cat-like manner but did as she was told. 

Hecate started chanting. Pippa always had liked her singing voice, and she loved the feel of Hecate's magic. She particularly loved the feel of the spell reversing itself. But then it stopped. Pippa looked around. Everything was still several feet too high up. Her hands were still paws. Her body was still covered in grey fur. She yowled in frustration. 

Hecate frowned. "I must be going daft," she said. "Imaging a cat was talking to me." She shook her head as she scooped up Pippa once again. "No more knocking things around or I'll have to put you back in the corridor," Hecate told her firmly. Pippa grumbled. She had been so close. What had gone wrong with the spell? How would she convince Hecate she was a person now?

Hecate sat back down and arranged Pippa in her lap. Pippa didn't bother moving. She could think just as well from her spot under Hecate's hand as she petted her as she could from anywhere else in Hecate's chambers. Maybe if she just followed Hecate around everywhere for a bit, that would convince Hecate to try again. Having told her deputy headmistress that she was popping by Cackle's for a visit, her deputy head would certainly mirror Cackle's when Pippa didn't show up for breakfast the next morning. Hecate would put everything together again, and she would get turned back into a human. Pippa just needed to make sure she didn't get lost between now and then. If that plan didn't work, well, she would figure it out tomorrow. For now, she wanted to indulge herself in Hecate's touch. Hecate fingers really did feel divine scratching through her fur.

Pippa arched under Hecate's hands and allowed herself to fall asleep.

***

Pippa stretched from the tips of her fingers all the way through her toes. Thin fingers scratched their way through her hair and her bare foot hit the arm of the couch. All of her muscles felt slightly sore and she hummed in mild displeasure. The fingers stopped.

"Awake?" Hecate said softly. 

Pippa sighed as she pressed her face into Hecate's stomach. It felt good there. It felt right. She refused to be awake. She kept her eyes closed. As long as her eyes were closed, she could pretend she was still a cat and she was allowed to snuggle against Hecate. A page turned and the fingers running through her hair started up again. It took her a moment to realize her hair was down and her feet were bare. Her clothing, too, seemed softer than what she had been wearing when this whole ordeal had started. Had Hecate changed her into something more comfortable? She wanted to explore, but that would mean opening her eyes. 

"I don't want to be awake," Pippa said. "I like it here." She felt Hecate put her book down and as soon as she did, Pippa blindly reached up and fished for Hecate's hand. She finally, likely with some assistance on Hecate's part, caught it and pulled it close. 

"I…" Hecate stiffened beneath her. Pippa could practically feel her jaw clench. "I don't want you to be awake," Hecate said very quietly. 

Something about the confession made it seem more important than the words alone. As much as she was loathe to do it, Pippa opened her eyes. She propped herself up on one elbow and looked up at Hecate. Hecate's eyes went wide. Silence grew between them as Pippa debated what to do, debated how brave to be. 

"If you don't want me to be awake, we should go to bed," she finally said. Hecate's breath caught. 

"You don't mean that," Hecate whispered but kept the eye contact. Still, it wasn't a rejection of the idea. Time for a bit more bravery it seemed. Moving slowly, Pippa sat up the rest of the way, staying close to Hecate's side. She reached her free hand up and caressed the side of Hecate's face. 

"I don't say things I don't mean. Not to you," Pippa said. "We can just sleep. You can hold me in your arms or I can hold you in mine, but I'd like to kiss you first." 

Hecate licked her lips in silent permission, and Pippa was leaning in before Hecate could finish nodding. Pippa's magic sparked when their lips finally met and sent a frisson down her spine. Or maybe that wasn't her magic. Maybe it was just Hecate. The kiss stayed slow and chaste, just lips brushing against lips. There would be time for more later. Hecate's hands found her waist and tugged, and Pippa found herself climbing onto Hecate's lap. It was somehow more comfortable than it had been when she was a cat. Their lips met again and again, still no faster than before, but the intensity built. Eventually, Pippa had to wrench herself away to catch her breath. 

She closed her eyes for a second only to open them to Hecate's own meeting hers. Hecate cleared her throat. "Are you still asleep?" 

"No," Pippa responded. "I don't want to be asleep for this. I don't want it to have been a dream." Still, Pippa couldn't suppress a yawn. She buried her face in Hecate's shoulder in embarrassment. 

"It's probably the transformation. They can be quite tiring," Hecate said. She reached up and threaded her fingers through Pippa's hair again and Pippa snuggled closer. 

"That must be it," Pippa replied. 

"You mentioned going to bed." Hecate whispered in Pippa's ear. Pippa shuddered. "It would probably be for the best for you to get some rest."

"You're right," Pippa responded. "But I don't know how much sleep I'll be able to get with you there." If she ended up awake all night just from being next to Hecate, that would be alright. 

"I can sleep on the couch," Hecate offered as she looked away from Pippa toward the wall over her shoulder. Pippa could practically hear her insecurities. 

"Don't you dare," Pippa interrupted them. She slid off of Hecate's lap and onto her feet before offering Hecate her hand. "We're going to bed together or not at all."

Hecate nodded and took Pippa's hand gripping it a bit tighter than necessary. Pippa didn't mind. She led Hecate over to the bed and pulled the sheets back before slipping in. "Come here, darling," she said as she held her arms open. Hecate only hesitated for a moment before she followed Pippa into the bed and into Pippa's arms. 

"Sleep well, Pippa," Hecate said into the hush. 

"You too, Hecate. You too."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are amazing and I'm on tumblr at twtd11


End file.
